IFT: No. 1
Page 8
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• Iveco Ford Truck has moved into top position in the UK truck market, according to the company's commercial operations director, Alan Fox and he says: "We are going to fight hard to keep our number one position."
Speaking at the launch last week of three new Iveco Ford truck models (see page 10) Fox said that the year-todate registration figures to the end of August showed that with 18.1% of the above-3.5 tonnes GVW market IFT had overtaken Leyland.
He attributed the declining Cargo market share since the beginning of this year to uncertainty over the Fordilveco joint venture which led to the formation of Iveco Ford Truck on July 1.
Fox also claimed that Iveco Ford's dealer network, details of which were published for the first time last week, is now the largest in the country.
Fifty dealers have been franchised to sell the complete Iveco Ford truck range including long and short wheelbase Transits. A further 67 Iveco Ford dealers have been franchised for trucks up to 28.5 tonnes gross weight, not including three axle models, and some of these 67 will also sell Transits, depending on whether or not they are former Ford dealers.
There is a secondary network of 50 IF Truck Dealers who can buy vehicles only from Truck Specialist Dealers, not direct from Iveco Ford.
Fox confirmed last week that of the former individual dealer networks of Iveco and Ford, 25 Iveco main dealers and 16 Ford dealers were not being appointed as Iveco Ford dealers.
Some of these are being compensated for giving up their franchise early, others have chosen to allow their contracts to run their full term. The contract between Ford and its dealers was for two-year terms, between Iveco and its dealers for oneyear terms only.
Fox says that rumours of plans to fit Iveco engines in Cargo trucks are "absolutely untrue." On the question of which models may be dropped from the Iveco Ford range, he says "None, at this point of time."
It is understood that the terms of the agreement between Iveco and Ford call for 3.5 tonne GVW Daily models to be dropped eventually to avoid a clash with Transits.